Official Luthiers Forum!

Boy, that is some fine work! Good job, guys.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

That's pretty spectacular! Please post some shots when finished and some close ups of that fine inlay work.

Cheers,
Danny

Thanks gents
I am anxious to see this under finish myself. Bill, I don't know if you saw it or not, but you were volunteered to host the carolina builders gathering.
I am still wondering about the black neck. Craig, I dunno if I can do the black see through finish or not. I will post a shot of the neck when it is more nearly done and get you guys opinion.

John

I'm coming in late on this thread, but WOW what an awesome looking guitar! Definitely candy for the eyes!!!

GREAT work guys!!

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Reguards,

Ken H

Please pardon me while I drool.

Wowee, wowee, wowee!

All the good superlatives have already been taken.

I'm also betting that if it gets a price tag placed on it, it won't come home....

Joe

Zoot alors!!! eet ees, ow you say, magnifique!!

How about some close ups of the inlay? Please? Pretty please? With sugar on top......

Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

"I'm also betting that if it gets a price tag placed on it, it won't come home...."

Well, that all depends on the numbers on the price tag right...

I'll get some close ups of the inlays going for you all. Sincerest thanks to all of you for your wonderful support and for the forum's being just so flat out cool.

Craig L

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www.handcraftinlay.com

Hi guys.
Sadly I never got a picture of the leafy sea dragon before it went to Johns, but here are the other guys. They do go right up to the edge then stop, not over it.
Materials include corians, stones, pearls, acrylics and some abalam here and there in small amounts, and that epoxy trick thing I wrote about in Guitarmaker than made Brocks Madonna so popular. Also engraving of course..
Thanks for looking!

Craig Lavin
http://www.handcraftinlay.com

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www.handcraftinlay.com

Booyah, guys. Booyah. Totally sweet.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Wow, nice job to everyone involved. The woods are incredible, the binding details look so nice and clean, and of course your inlays are fantastic Craig. Very nice to see something like this being built even if the idea was for a looker guitar. It is beautiful and a great concept as well.

~David

John,

How about a laminated Black Limba neck? Of course, I'm not too sure where you'll find a piece of 5/4 x 8 flatsawn Black Limba... Oh wait, you're talking about black paint on the neck.

Beautiful execution, and gorgeous materials! What a collaboration!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Years ago I worked in a boatyard installing stuff on boats. I remember a brand new Cal 25 came in and I had to cut holes to put the vents in........

Now, How do you attach tuning machines to that gorgeous headstock without drilling holes?

I know, I know, you just have to do it! But I'll feel the pain.

Craig, you do beautiful work! I think you had better put an outrageously high price on that one....

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

It started out with me doing the fretboard a long time ago because I told John I wanted him to make me an acoustic guitar. Sometimes John will just send me a neck because I would have an idea, and we would just do it and then build the guitar around the idea later. This kinda started out that way.

Then one day I saw Bob post that black and gold ebony and I couldn't believe it.

I called Bob and told him what I wanted to do and of course since I couldn't be there he hand picked and assembled all the woods for the project for me, and shipped them to John.
I did the inlays obviously and chose the wood types, John built and chose and decided on all the appointment woods and "extras". O.K, I promised him he would be on my Christmas list if he did the armrest, so that was that story....

But if it weren't for this forum, Bob posting, and John even giving me a start in inlay I wouldn't be typing right now.

I guess what I am trying to say is never mind what goes on with this being a computer forum, it does have heart, and it has effects far beyond any other forum I have been on.
Even through changes it's still the same, and that is why it's the best.
I just looked at the Newport Maimi list and I can't believe who is going to be there. I feel like I will meet almost all of you for the first time.
That's awesome!

Craig



Craig

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www.handcraftinlay.com

Craig, John and Bob,

That is absolutely stunning materials and craftmanship. You three make a great team.

John I am dying to know how you did the purfling on the rib side of the armrest.

Thanks again guys
Anthony I used a 45 degree router bit (with ball bearing guide) to cut the bevel. Then I went back to my binding channel cutter and lowered it enough to cut a ledge at the bottom of that 45 degree cut. That ledge was for the rib side purfling. The curved part on each end I had to cut by hand using flexcut knife. Then I glued in that bottom purfling. Then cut a pattern for the ebony veneer out of stiff paper, transferred that pattern to the ebony veneer and cut that out. I bent the ebony veneer (which was somewhat crescent shaped) to flow around the body and then bent the end recurves. That part required a lot of fitting and takes time and makes me wonder if there is not a better way. I do let the top of that veneer just hang over the top. After it is glued down, I sand the top of the veneer flush with the top of the guitar and then cut a purfling channel around the top with a knife and chisel. Way too time consuming but I have not figured out a way to do it quicker.
Actually I think I could design a router bit to cut the bottom channel and the bevel and the inside edge of the purfling channel on the top in one pass. That would help eliminate some of the knife work.
John

Wow, what a beautiful instrument. Great job collaborating btw.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com